Good essential skills, like literacy and numeracy, are vital for people’s job and career prospects, for access to health and other public services, and for everyday family and community life. Yet, according to the OECD, 8.5 million adults in England have low skills in literacy and/or numeracy.
Using data obtained under Freedom of Information requests to the Department for Education and ten Mayoral Strategic Authorities, this briefing explores the trends in investment in adult (19+) English and maths provision in England in the first five years of Adult Skills Fund devolution between 2019/20 and 2023/24.
Compared to average spending on 19+ English and maths (in England) for the three-year period before devolution took effect, we find that since devolution:
- Total annual spending on adult English programmes has reduced by 40% on average in real terms
- Total annual spending on adult numeracy programmes has reduced by 37% on average in real terms
Overall, spending (at 2024 prices) on 19+ English and maths in England is £111 million less in real terms than in 2016/17, enough to have supported an estimated 150,000 more adults to achieve a Functional Skills English or maths qualification.
The briefing highlights that there is a need for Government and Mayoral Strategic Authorities to step up their focus on essential skills outcomes and rebalance skills spending priorities towards adults with the lowest levels of skills, who stand to benefit most.
